Code selective apparatus



May 25, 1943. M. H. LOUGHRIDGE 2,320,150

I CODE- SIELEICTIVE APPARATUS Filed July 9, v1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

May 25, 1943. M. H. LOUGHRIDGE CODE SELECTIVE APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4-

INVENTOR,

y 25, 1943- M. H. LOUGHRIDGE CODE SELECTIVE APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR..

May 25, 1943. M. H. LOUGHRIDGE CODE SELECTIVE APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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Patented May 25, 1943 i.

CODE SELECTIVE APPARATUS Matthew H. Loughridge, Bogota, N. J., William R. Lockridge, administrator of said Matthew H. Loughridge, deceased Application July 9, 1940, Serial No. 344,493

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a selective system and the apparatus used therewith and is shown in connection with the application of a code selective system. An object of the invention is to provide on a railway track, operated by the code selector system;

Fig. 12 is a diagram of the circuits on the vehicle for operating the switch in Fig. 11, and

a selective system in which a number of codes '5 Fig. 13 is an interconnecting trackway system may be prearranged and the system operated proin which the switches are automatically operated gressively by these codes; another object of the by the code selector system. invention is to provide a manually adjustable t Tins lfllllffil'lltlall'l 1s sihogn ap h d tgt code 5%?- mechanism in which a number of codes may be em in w 10 1 e co e as a ase en pOsSl .e prearratngecl1 to be subsequently used by stiannirgg 10 p s tg s a gsrvl n t e 1i pp ratu assg t iaged with means 0 w ich he code responds; ano er 0 a y Tee 0 B p lOIlS 18 Opera 8 08 ject of the invention is to operate a code selective and at e Same i the Selection for a P lsystem by a plurt'laliti hof responsive igearzs which ir code efitakbhsheid. Thibs 1s ghglp r l yd con-( cgmeans operate oge er; ano er 0 jec of he 1011 In W e C 6 an 8 88 a 18 e e invention is to operate a code selective system by ten Positions 0f the represented y en scanning means through impulses transmitted by relays, on for {Bach DOSItIQII- Each F 6 5 electro-miagnetic induction and another object of eg z n r g a n sga mn yste g 1; the inven ion is to provide means for prearrang- D e In W 10 Tee 111 110 are P 8 ing a plurality of codes with means for changing co-acting with three selected inductors connected th c each'time t yste 15 operated with the relays which, through inductive im- A further object of the invention is to provide pu ses, energize the three selected relays together a code seletctive sfystem for 1roperating switcheston ai t l 0 i gy i a lg f eeni lged. a railway rack mm a ve icle passing over he e en re Y 6011 r0 repea 1n c ul W 161 track. Other objects of the invention will be is 0 g that When a three t s e ays more particularly understood from the following are 9119131265 t othfirs are e e ed a and the mmpanymg drawings; fititifi tfniftt 53.3%.???)fitfii wfii in w 10 Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram Showing the Opera function may be transm1tted byan inductive coution of the system by electro-magnetic induction; an g to p r 9,2 the results Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a method of y SW1 0 mg arrangemen he clrcults f changing the system from operating on one code three relays only are estabhshed between the to operate by another code. ductors and these relays with the result that im- Fig. 3 is a plan view of a railway track having pulses tranmit$3ed to any of the inductors inductors thereon corresponding o a scanni 6 liggt gg esesggcgirtcgt :g;1r]1.nl1 ;lra1:;1aag;,e liglzlltnciig arrangement for operating the code Selector Q limited to three inductors it is apparent that the g. on passmg P this pqrtlon of track; system will not synchronize or function unless the lg. 4 is an elevation of a railway track corre- S (main to Fi 3 vith Vehicle thereon havin scanning 1nductors correspond with the 1nducg g tors which are connected with the operating inductors in correlation with the trackway induc- 40 relays tors; In man I y applications, as well as in the apph- F 5 F slde f f trackway mduc' cation to railroad switches shown in the drawon 11 ne 5 5 of n I ings, it is desirable to pre-arrange a number of 5 15 an elevatlqny Partly sectioned, of the codes or combinations which will operate the selefltor mechanlsm; 1 425 system one at a time and in which these prev Fig. 7 1s amend elevation of the cone selector arranged codes will be taken up progressively m90 ham$ m 01111119 of 5; after each operation of the translating device.

g- 8 1 an elevatwn. partly sectloned, 0f the For this purpose a code selector mechanism is mechanism for auto a ca y changing the d provided which comprises ten discs, one corre- Fig. 9 is a sectional detail showing the method spending to each relay of the base and having of setting up the code from a keyboard; radially projecting contact members which are Fig. 10 is a top plan; view of the keyboard tlhat normallz7 latched in an inactive position. A ball may be used to adjus the code selec or mec ais moun ed to rotate about these discs with a m I contacting member located to register with the 11 is a wiring diagram of a facing switch, contacting member of each disc. A movable keyboard is provided with a key for each disc and is so arranged that when a key is depressed the contact member of the disc is released to assume the active position. Three keys are operated to release the contacting members of the discs corresponding to the relays that are to be operated in the code, then the keyboard is moved. relative to the discs and three more keys are operated corresponding to the next code, then the keyboard is again moved and three more contacts of the discs are again released corresponding to the next code, and so on for the number of codes that are to be established. A stepping magnet is provided for moving the bail forward one step each time this magnet is energized which moves the contact members of the bail from one code to the next code and this is repeated each time the operating magnet is energized. This magnet is energized when the system is synchronized by establishing the code and thus a new code is brought into effect.

A selector system for operating railway switches is shown in U. S. Patent 1,381,317; adjustable selective apparatus is shown in U. S. Patent 1,724,210 and a development of the code system of the present invention is described in co-pending application 205,186, filed April 30, 1938, now Patent No. 2,266,779, issued December 23, 1941.

Inthe drawings, Fig. 1, 25 is an inductor with a coil 26, connected by the circuit 21, with the full wave rectifier 28, which connects to the switchboard by the conductor 29 and connects to the return circuit 39. Ten inductors, corresponding to 25, are provided, numbered from 1 to Oand each connecting to the switchboard inductors 39 to 38 inclusive. 40 is a code relay connecting to the switchboard by the conductor 4| and ten relays corresponding to 45 are pro vided, numbered from 1 to inclusive, and connecting to the switchboard by the conductors 4| to inclusive. Any three of the relay conductor 4| to 50 may be connected to any three of the inductor conductors 29 to 38 inclusive as, for instance, at y between conductor 3| and 43, between conductor and 41' and between conductors? and 49. By this arrangement, relays 3, '7 and 9 are connected with their corresponding inductors and the remaining relays are out of circuit and cannot be energized.

An impulse inductor 2|, having a coil 22, registers with the inductor connected to wire 3|, a second impulse inductor 2| corresponding to the previous inductor, registers with the inductor connected with conductor 35 and a third impulse inductor registers with the inductor connected with conductor 31. The inductors 2| correspond to a scanning system and, as shown, are arranged to energize relays 3, 7 and 9. Any other arrangement of the inductors 2|, with the switchboard connected as shown, would not energize three of the code relays and therefore, would not operate the system.

The code relays control a circuit starting at B, through contact finger 5| of the first relay and is repeated from relay to relay by the conductors 55, connecting to the relay contacts 5| to 54 inclusive and, finally terminating at contact fingers 53 and 54 of relay at 1, and which connect to conductor 56 of the relay, or translating device, 51 and the return circuit 0. This repeating circuit is so designed that the circuit of relay 51 is established only when any three of the ten coding relays 40 are energized and the remaining relays are deenergized. Relay '5'! may be made slow-releasing as indicated, so that it will maintain its contacts closed for an instant after the inductive impulse which energized the coding relays 46, has ceased.

When relay 5'! is energized, a circuit is established through contact 58 from the energy wire 13 through conductor 6%, to coil SI of inductor 62. Inductor 62 is coupled with inductor 23, having the coil 24, which, through the rectifier 63 and circuit 54 energizes the translating device 65 to perform the Work desired. A second circuit is established when relay 5? is energized, through contact finger 59 from energy wire B through conductor 66 to the stepping magnet 6! which operates the stepping device 68, hereinafter referred to.

The switchboard indicated in Fig. 1 is set for one code only and when it is desired to make the system operate on another code, the switchboard must be manually adjusted for this purpose. In Fig. 2, the fragmentary diagram indicates a switchboard" on which anumber of codes can be set up, only one of which can be eifective at a time, For this purpose the conductor 29, from the receiving inductor, is subdivided into a number of separate parallel inductors indicated onthe drawing from 29a to 29c, inclusive; In the same way the next conductor 30 is sub-divided into parallel conductors indicated in the drawing from 3% to 30c, inclusive. The bar 10 is provided with an insulated contact 1| connected with conductor 30 and connecting to a terminal 12- on conductor 30a; it is also provided with an insulated contact 13 connecting to conductor 29 and connecting with terminal 16' on conductor 29a; Each time that magnet 61 is energized the stepping armature 68 engages the ratchet 69 on bar 10 and moves itforward one step. This moves the contacts H and 13 and all the other contacts on this bar forward from the first con ductor of the row to. the second conductor of the row. The-next step of 6"! moves the bar 10 forward another step to the third conductor of the row and in this way each time magnet 61 is energized the bar 61 is progressively moved from one conductor tothe next conductor of the same row.

It is apparent that the conductors 29a to 29s, inclusive, may be plugged as indicated at y to connect with the conductors of any of the relays 4B, and it is also apparent that the same arrangement may be carried out with respect to the conductors 30a to 30c inclusive. Providing the parallel conductors in rows, only one of which can be in circuit at a time, leaves the disconnected conductors free for setting up pre-arranged codes thereon, which codes are determined by the movement of the bar 10'. A result corresponding to this circuit arrangement is shown in Figs. '7 to 10, inclusive.

It is apparent that conductors 29 to 38, inclusive, can be controlled by a contact system instead of by the inductive apparatus shown, the main requirement being to provide for energizing three of the coding relays at a time.

Application to the operation of railway switches The selective system described is applied to the automatic operation of railway switches by providing on the'trackway approaching the switch three impulse inductors arranged according to a predetermined code represented by a number of three figures; the switch is operated by an ap-- preaching train or vehicle which carries the selectormechanism, the selector relays and the ind-uctors to register with the impulse inductors on the trackway. When the system on the vehicle is synchronized the translating device establishes the circuit of an impulse inductor on the vehicle which transmits impulses to the circuit of a registering inductor on the trackway and the latter circuit is connected with a relay which sets up the circuits for the operation of the switch to switch the train from the running track to the connecting track. The code selector mechanism on the vehicle is operated with the switch mechanism so that when the train enters upon a new track the system is conditioned to operate on another code on this track, and this condition is maintained each time a new track is entered.

In the drawings, Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the trackway is indicated by the running rails 15 and I6, supported by the ties I1 and to which the channel bars 10 are secured by the cleats I9. Pillow blocks 80 are provided on the channel bars I8 which support the laminated inductors 2I and which may be secured by side plates 8| and with solid tapering ends at 82. On the center line of the track at a: an impulse inductor for receiving impulses from the vehicle 23' is provided, having the coils 24 and 24a thereon. Coil 24 connects through the full wave rectifier 63 with the circuit 64 and coil 24a connects through the full wave rectifier 63a in multiple with coil 24 to the circuit 64a and the relay 65 which sets up the circuits for operating the switch mechanism.

The figures from 1 to are used to indicate the code combinations and are shown in Fig. 4 applied to the inductors 25 on the vehicle which are provided with coils 26 and are supported by the bar 81, connecting by the supports 86 in a suitable manner with a portion of the vehicle supported by the running wheels 84 in the relation shown in Fig. 4. The trackway inductors may be arranged to occupy any of the positions indicated at I? from 1 to 0', three inductors only being provided at each location and these inductors 2I may be numbered according to the number arrangement of their location as a convenient designation for the switch.

Several methods are in use for inductively operating apparatus by a passing train and these methods may be designed to operate from a source of power on the train or from a source of power on the trackway and any of these arrangements may be used in applying the present invention. As shown, the trackway inductors 2! are provided with an energizing coil 22, energized by alternating current from 22a and when the vehicle inductor sweeps over the trackway inductor an impulse is induced in the coil 26 which energizes the circuit connected with the corresponding coding relay. When three of these relays are energized at the same time coil 6| oi inductor 62, on the center line'of the vehicle, is energized from a source of current on the vehicle. This induces a current in coil 24a, followed by another in coil 24 which energizes relay 65 to op' erate the switch. The relay 5! on the vehicle which establishes the circuit of coil BI is slowreleasing so that while the vehicle may have passed over the inductors 2|, the circuit established thereby is maintained to continue the impulse from 24 in coil 24 and thereby increase the operating time period of relay 65.

By placing the coding inductors transversely on the track and energizing the coding relays simultaneously, it is not necessary to accumulate the code operations as it would be with a stepping system and it is not necessary to provide a re-' tions.

taining device for holding the accumulated opera- Further, the operation is secured with rapidity and occurs at one point on the trackway instead of being continued along the trackway and, finally, only three impulses are necessary in a selective system having a base of ten with three changeable units thereon and in this way the operation is much simplified while a coded system of this particular type has 120 combinations.

Code selector adiustment The code selector mechanism is shown in Figs. 6 to .10 and comprises ten discs IM and numbered from 1 to 0. These discs are mounted on a tubular support I04 in frame I03 and are held in position on I04 by the end sleeves I05 which provide a bearing in the frame I03 at I06, a nut I01, on tube I04 holds the parts in assembled relation.

The discs IOI are insulated from each other by the insulation I09 and are mounted at I08 on the tube I04. These discs are provided with radial cylinders indicated'from a to l in Fig. '7, and at I I0 in Fig. 6. A spring I II in cylinder I I0 projects the contact member I I2 to the active or contacting position. This member is provided with a notch I3 which is engaged by the latch II5 of spring I I 4 and is so arranged that when the contact members H2 are pressed into the cylinder and flush with the surface of the disc, they are latched by I I4 and remain in the inactive position.

A bail H6 is mounted at I02 and at I2I to rotate on the sleeves I05 and is provided with the insulated contacts I I! arranged in a row parallel with the axis of the discs there being one contact for each disc which engages the projecting contact member I I2 of the disc. The bail H6 is provided with a groove at II9 where the contacts I I! are exposed and are connected by conductors, indicated at H8 and leading to conductor segments I20 on the end I02 of the 'bail, from these segments a separate circuit is connected to each contact I".

The bail H6 is operated by the stepping magnet 61 through the ratchet I2I operated by the detent I22 connected with lever I23 and normally held in engagement by spring I24. Lever I 23 is pivoted at I25 and by link I21 connects to plunger I28, operated by armature I29 of magnet 01 against spring I26, connected to the frame at I03. When the magnet 61 is energized, the detent I22 is moved forward to engage the next tooth of ratchet I2I and to step forward the bail H6 by the action of spring I26 when the magnet 61 is deenergized, Detent I22 may be released from the ratchet by turning back on its pivot. over the toggle formed by spring I24. The bail is held in the position to which it is moved by the roller I3I, held by spring I30 against the ratchet tooth I2I.

A circuit is established from each of the discs I M by the conductor I32 in the tube I04, connecting at I33 with the segmental contacts mounted on nut I0! so that each disc is brought into circuit by the conductor connected to the corresponding segment at I33. This arrangement, with the segments at I20, avoids the use of commutators since it is not necessary that the bail rotate completely around the discs.

For convenience in setting up the sodes on the selector mechanism, a keyboard I35 is provided which is mounted on the sockets I 36 and I31, slidable on the vertical arms I03 of the frame so that it may be raised to the position keyboardis to be' used the'bail is pushed, aside and it is brought into the position shown in Fig; Sadjacent to the discs. The keys I are retrieved by the spring I40 and are provided with a tapering end at MI which engages the spring 4' of the latch and withdraws the latch and releases the contact member I I2 so that it may be projected to the active position. The keyboard is provided with a projection I42 having an inclined face I43 adjacent to the face I44 which engages the discs, The discs may be rotated by rotating tube I04 by means of knob I45, which is provided with a collar 141 having notches engaged by .the spring I46. corresponding to each position of the discs in which the contact members may be released.

In operation the keyboard I is lowered to the engaging position and latched there. As the discs are rotated relative to the keyboard, each projecting contact is depressed by I43 to the latching position to cancel any previous established codes. In the first position, the keys are depressed corresponding to the code that is to be set up; this will, release the contact members of three of the discs; the discs are then rotated to the second position by the knob I45 and three more keys are operated according to the code required in this position. In the same way a new code is established for each position of the discs by the keyboard as far as desired. When the codes have been established in this way the keyboard is restored to the inactive position, the discs are returned to the starting position and the bail is also placed in the starting position or the position of the first code. As soon as tho first code has been set up by the scanning mechanism, the magnet 61 is energized and the bail .is advanced to the next position. and this is re peated after each operation.

The control of the circuits by this mechanism corresponds with Fig. 2 and in which it may be assumed, for instance, that each of the contacts II'I connect to one of the coding relays and each of the contacts I33 connect to one of the coils of the inductors 25 so that each inductor may be selectively connected with its coding relay according to the position of the contact members II2 for each location of the bail.

In Figs, 3 and 4 it will be noted that the inductor a: on the center line of the trackway is not included with the numbered inductors. This inductor has a fixed location with five possible locations for other inductors on each side thereof. It is contemplated that the vehicle in Fig. 4 may be a truck which can be turned around on the track and run with either end leading, as in U. S. Patent 1,857,760. In order to adjust the system for this condition the keyboard, Fig. 10, is provided with numbers for the keys I39 reading in one direction on one side and in the opposite direction on the other side. By using the numbers on one side of the keyboard for one direction of running and using the numbers on the opposite side of the keyboard for the other direction of running, the code combinations set up by the keyboard will synchronize with the scanning combinations set up on the trackway for operating each switch.

The invention has been described in connection with a selector system having a base of ten with three movable characters. This is the sys tem most commonly used but it is apparent that the code may be applied as shown in application 206,186 of April 30, 1938.

One arrangement of circuits for operating the code selector relays by the code selector shown in Fig. 12, has the bail I02 mounted to rotate about the selector discs IOI and the transformer I5I through conductor I52 connects each of the discs IOI to one side of the transformer. The other side of this transformer by conductor I56 connects to the coils 26a of the inductors 2,5 and from the first coil a return circuit is completed on conductor I54 to one of the contacts of the bail I02; another circuit is completed on conductor I53 from the coil of the next inductor to another of the contacts on the bail I02. This arrangement is carried out for eachof the inductors 25 so that each of the energizing coils 26a are controlled in series by the contacts between the discs IOI and the contacts on the bail I02. A secondary coil 26 is provided on each inductor 25 and through the conductor I51 one of the coding relays 40 is energized, also from secondary coil 26 on the next inductor, by conductor I58, another of the coding relays is energized from an impulse in the inductor 25. In this arrangement the power for producing the impulse in the inductors is supplied by transformer I5I on the vehicle. Energizing the proper number of coding relays energizes relay 51, which energizes the coil 6| of inductor 62' to transmit the control efiect to the trackway and also energizes magnet 61 to change the code.

The inductors 25, when provided with a primary circuit 26a and a secondary circuit 26, are normally on open circuit until they register with the laminated inductive member on the trackway. This completes the magnetic circuit for the vehicle inductor, through an air gap, and enables an impulse to be inductively transmitted from the primary coil to the secondary coil to energize the coding relay, which otherwise is insufiiciently energized to close its contacts.

The trackway circuits for operating the switch are shown in Fig. 11 in which the turnout switch I60 connects to the main track, 15, 16, by the switch designated by the number 319. This number is obtained from the arrangement of the inductors 2-I preceding the switch in which the first inductor occupies the third position, the next inductor occupies the seventh position and the third inductor occupies the ninth position. A code setup on the keyboard by the keys 3, 7, 9 will be operated by this scanning arrangement.

Coil 24 on the inductor 23 receives an impulse from inductor 62 and through rectifier 63 and circuit 64 energizes the stick relay 65. When this relay is energized a holding circuit is established through contact finger I6I, inductor I62 and contact I 63 to energy. Contact I63 is controlled by the switch 319 so that when the switch reverses its position the holding circuit is opened at I63 and relay 65 is deenergized. Switch 319 is operated by the motor I68 controlled from energy wire B through contact I64 of relay 65 energized, conductor I65, controller I66, conductor I61 to the reverse field R and through motor I68 to the return circuit 0. When the motor completes the reverse movement of the switch the circuit is opened at I66.

After the train passes over the switch and on to the connecting track I60 it is necessary to restore the switch to the normal position and for this purpose an inductor I10 is provided on the center line of the track, having a primary coil I1I energized from transformer I12 and a secondary coil I13 connected by circuit I14, rectifier I15 and circuit I16 to stick relay I11. When relay I11 is energized a holding circuit is established through contact finger I18, conductor I19 and controller I66 now is the reverse position to the energy wire B. An operating circuit is also established through contact I80, conductor I8I, controller I63 in the reverse position, normal field N and motor I68 to the return conductor 0. When the switch movement is completed to the normal position the circuits established by I63 and I66 are interrupted and normal conditions are restored. It should be noted that t e inductor 62 on the vehicle, which registers with the inductor I10, has the coil 6| on open circuit at this time so that conductor 62 completes the magnetic circuit through an air gap around the primary HI and secondary I13 of inductor I10, thereby producing an inductive impulse sufficient to energize relay I11. It should be understood that a resetting inductor for operating relay I11 may be provided on the main track to be operated by a passing vehicle before the inductors 2I are reached to insure that the switch is in the normal position.

The application of this system to an interconnecting track system is shown in Fig. 13 in which a single line diagram is used to indicate the tracks and the facing switches only are operated by the selector and grade crossings are avoided. The trailing switches may be spring controlled and trailed through or they may be operated by other means as the train approaches the switch, but selection is not necessary as there is no alternative route at a trailing switch.

The switches are indicated by three figured numbers, preferably arranged in ascending order, and it is apparent that switches may have the same numbers onsucceeding tracks as the code selector can repeat any combination of the code in each position. In the track arrangement shown, eastbound trafiic on the running track 50! may be deflected at the switches H2, H3, I I4 and H5 to the tracks B, D, F, and H respectively. This traflic may also be deflected over cross-over III to track 503 and directed into the same distributing tracks over switches H6, H1, H9 and 220. Westboundtrafiic, on track 502, may be deflected by switches 346, 341, 348 and 349 to tracks H, F, D and B respectively; this traffic may also be deflected into tracks 505, over switch 345 and to track 504, over switches 345 and 350. Cars from the distributing track A, C, E and G may be deflected over track 503 by switches 334, 335, 336 and 331 respectively. This traffic may be returned to the eastbound track over switch 223 or returned to the storage tracks 505 or 506. Interconnecting tracks I and J connecting the distributing tracks by the switches as shown to provide for interconnecting trafiic without using the switching yard. Traffic on the storage tracks 505 and 506 may be returned to the distributing tracks or may be routed over switches 351 and 358 to the running track 502. It is apparent that while an extensive interconnecting system is shown, the operation is secured by relatively few selectively operated switches, while the code selector of Fig. 6 with twelve separate rows, each having a total of 120 different combinations represents a capacity of 1,440 switches.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Code selective apparatus comprising a scanning system, a group of relays controlled by said scanning system, adjustable apparatus controlling the cirouits of said relays so that a predetermined number of selected relays may be operated by said scanning system according to a prearranged code, said apparatus comprising a frame with a row of insulated discs mounted on a shaft for the circuit of each relay, a plurality of contacts radially arranged on each disc, means for securing each contact in an inoperative posi- I tion, a bar parallel with said shaft sliding on said frame and normally clear of said discs, means for moving said bar to engage said discs, a key on said bar for each disc, means for releasing each contact of the disc to the operative position by the operation of the corresponding key, means for rotating said discs relative to said bar for releasing the contacts, and a bail rotatably mounted on said shaft when said bar is in the normal position and rotating about said discs and an insulated contact on said bail for each disc engaging the released contacts of the discs for I continuing the circuit of the selected relays.

2. Code selective apparatus comprising a scanning system, a group of relays controlled by said scanning system, adjustable apparatus controlling the circuits of said relays so that a predetermined number of selected relays may be operated by said scanning. system according to a prearranged code, said apparatus comprising a frame with a row of insulated discs mounted on a shaft for the circuit of each relay, a plurality of contacts radially arranged on each disc, a spring for projecting each contact to the engaging position, means for latching said contacts in the inactive position, a bar parallel with said shaft sliding on said frame and normally clear of the discs, means for latching said bar to engage the discs, said bar having a ledge engaging said discs with an inclined plane forcing said contacts into the latching position as said discs are rotated relative to said bar, a key on said bar for each disc engaging the latching means for releasing the contacts desired, and a bail rotating about said discs when said bar is in the normal position and having an insulated contact for each disc engaging with the active contacts of the disc for continuing the circuit of the selected relays.

3. Code selective apparatus for selecting predetermined codes which will synchronize the system, comprising a tubular shaft, a row of insulated discs mounted on said shaft corresponding with the number of' characters in the base of the code, radially arranged contact members on each disc adjustably positioned in an active or inactive position, an insulated conductor in said tubular shaft, connecting the contact members of each disc with a terminal at the end of the shaft, a bail mounted on said shaft and rotatable about said discs, an insulated contact member on said bail for each disc, a row of radial terminals mounted about the axis of said bail to which said contact members are connected and electric translating apparatus connected to said terminals and controlled by said contacts for selectively operating the code.

MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE. 

